By His Side
by Constable Paperbag
Summary: Many people became part of Tai's life. Raven knew better than anyone that not many of them stayed behind. Either through death or simply abandoning him, most of his loved ones vanished from his life. Except for one.


Raven sighed. The place hadn't changed at all.

Even from how dark it was - with the only light source coming from the moon, its pale glow spilling through the twisted tree branches - Raven could tell the house was the same as ever.

The nostalgia left an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She had been hoping for change. She wanted it to look different, even just a new coat of paint on the walls would be enough. She didn't want to be... reminded.

She approached the door, testing the handle. Yes, nothing had changed. Not even the flimsy lock. She twisted the handle again, hearing the mediocre tumblers rattle from within. For someone like her, this security was a joke. He might as well have left the door wide open.

We need a better lock, she had told him one day. Otherwise, any lucky thief could break in and steal their valuables.

He had laughed. They were hunters, the both of them. What did they have to worry about? Besides, she was his most precious valuable. And he'd like to meet the sorry idiot who'd steal her away from him.

She had felt particularly warm that day.

The memory nearly caused her to snap her lockpick in the lock. She wasn't even in the house yet, and already it was having an effect on her. She needed to focus.

_Click_

That was the sound she was waiting for. She carefully opened the door and snuck her way inside.

The smell of rich pinewood greeted her inside. She had spent her whole life living in the woods, surrounded by nature, but never had the smell of trees smelt this homely. The familiar scent greeted her like an old friend, welcoming her back into the house.

She shook her head. No, she wasn't welcome here. Not anymore. That's why she needed to do what she came here to do, then leave. She could not allow herself to be distracted.

She tested the floorboards, wincing at the slightest creak coming from under her boot. He had sharp ears- all hunters did. Too much noise would wake him up. She took off her boots and carefully moved through the house.

She didn't need light to navigate. She knew this house like the back of her hand. She could walk through it blindfolded. It felt like only yesterday when they had talked about redecorating the walls, or buying new furniture for the living room. Which one of them was it who had brought up the idea of having kids?

She couldn't remember. She didn't want to.

She crept up the stairs quietly. He'd never hear her. If she needed to be quiet, she'd be as silent as the dead. A natural talent of hers. She hadn't made a noise on the day she left, and she wouldn't upon returning. As far as he was concerned, she was a ghost in his life.

The bedroom door stood a few feet away from her. Her breath hitched, the first bit of noise she had made upon entering. She could handle hordes of Grimm, the wretches of mankind, and a woman with the powers of a god. And now, she was being halted by a door.

She slowly moved towards it. She could do this. He wouldn't suspect a thing, and she didn't have to stay there forever. She just wanted to see him again.

Her hand was inches away from the handle when a growl behind her made her pause.

Her body tensed. A Grimm? It couldn't be, it sounded too small. Too protective. She slowly turned her head around, her red eyes glowing in the dark like sanguine spotlights.

Behind her was a small black and white dog baring its teeth at her. A low growl rumbled from its throat. It looked ready to pounce on her if she made any movements it didn't like. She could see its claws digging into the floorboards.

Raven would have laughed if she wasn't concerned about being as quiet as possible. Did this pup honestly think it looked intimidating? It was far too small and stubby to be any threat to her. One kick from her would send it flying before its teeth could even break her aura.

Something shone around its collar. A small silver name tag. It read 'Zwei'.

So, Tai had a pet now, did he? If he was looking for a guard dog, he had chosen his breed poorly.

"I'm not here for you, mutt," she grunted as quietly as she could. "Beat it."

She turned her back to it and touched the door handle, twisting it slightly.

The dog snapped its jaws with an angry bark.

Raven hissed from the sudden loud noise. Damn dog, it was going to wake him up! Snapping back around, she gave the dog a vicious glare of her own. Her black and red visage combined with her furious expression gave her a truly demonic appearance. She stormed her way towards the stupid mutt. One way or another, she was going to get it to shut up.

She stood over it, waiting to see what would happen next. Its growls softened slightly, but it did not cringe or turn away from her. It met her gaze fearlessly, its eyes narrowing in a way that could almost be described as intelligent. Well, intelligent as far as dogs went anyway.

"You're not afraid of me, are you?" she whispered.

The dog's posture didn't change.

Raven's attitude eased a little. She had to respect it for its bravery, even if it was little more than a dumb animal. She moved her foot back slightly, back towards his bedroom.

The dog's growls rose again.

"I'm not here to hurt him," she sighed. "I'll only be two minutes at most. Then you'll never see me again."

When she moved back a few more steps, the growls increased to dangerously loud levels.

Raven groaned. Who did this mangy fleabag think it was? She had been living in this house far longer than it had. If anything, she had more right to it than some dog. But - as embarrassing as it was to admit - the dog had the upper hand. If she made any movement towards the bedroom, it would start barking up a storm that would surely wake him. It would ruin everything.

"You're not going to let me see him, are you?" she asked it.

A growl was her only reply.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Alright fine, you win."

The dog actually relaxed as if it understood her words. Its eyes still watched her with wise caution though.

"But here's the deal." Raven crouched down to the dogs level. "It's been a long time since I've been back here, and I'm not ready to leave yet. If I promise not to go anywhere near your master's room, will you promise to let me look around and not make any noise?"

That was a lot of words. Raven hoped the dog had recognised at least some of them.

It seemed that it did. The dog finally ceased its growling, and its teeth went back to being hidden behind its flabby gums.

Raven hung her head in shame. She was actually having to reason and negotiate with a dog. If her brother saw her now, he'd die laughing. Or would he? That was another bridge she had burned down. Who knows what he would do if he saw her?

"Remember, no noise," she warned the dog, before walking away from Tai's room. The dog followed behind her like a security guard escorting a dangerous prisoner.

As it turned out, not everything about the house was like how she remembered it. For example, there were a few more rooms on the second floor. The dog had no problem with her going inside them. She hadn't stayed long in the first one, but she lingered in the second one for a while.

She could already tell who it belonged to. If the emblem of a fiery heart hanging over the bed wasn't obvious enough, several pictures of a cheerful blonde girl with her father, sister and friends littering the room gave it away.

This was Yang's room. No question about it.

She looked down at the dog by her feet. "You don't know who I am, do you?" she asked. The dog tilted its head up to look at her. "I'm the mother of the girl this room belongs to. Does the name Yang sound familiar?"

A soft whine escaped its mouth. It understood. The dog couldn't have been a recent addition to the household. Tai must have had it for a while now.

"We had her by accident, you know," she explained. "Or rather, I did. This was never supposed to happen. Things like falling in love, raising children, it's not in my nature. But I'd always forget that whenever I was around him. That was the problem with him- he made me forget what I was."

She sat down carefully on the bed, half-expecting the dog to start growling again. When it didn't, she carried on. "I saw her again recently. It was an… unusual reunion. She's already stronger than I am, a pleasant surprise. She has more of her father in her than she does me. We may look alike, but I couldn't see any trace of myself on her. At this point, it feels unfair to call her mine. Though, perhaps that is a good thing."

She wasn't sure why she was telling the dog all this, though it was reassuring knowing that it wouldn't repeat what she was saying. It felt somewhat therapeutic to explain herself to a silent listener.

"I could never be her mother, not that she'd even want me to now. I knew that from the moment she was born. It was during that one afternoon, the only moment I had alone with her. Tai was out shopping, leaving me to babysit. She wouldn't stop trying to grab for me, so I picked her up to calm her down. I never knew a human being could feel so fragile. It was like I was carrying the world in my hands.

"Then she gave me that look. That same look I always saw on Tai's face. The one he only reserved for me. And now she was giving me the same behind those big purple eyes. I don't know how they do it, but it's like their eyes sparkle like stars. And that's when I realised… I am not the person she thinks I am. She looked at me and saw her mother. Tai looked at me and saw his wife. I am none of those things. I can't be. I am what I've always been."

It made her laugh how Qrow thought he was the unlucky one. At least he managed to escape himself. At least he had gotten out. She was a prisoner to her true calling.

"But anyway, she's gone now. Off on some foolish mission to fight something she cannot possibly understand. She and the rest of her friends. I don't expect any of them to survive, not even her."

The sentiment tasted like ash in her mouth.

"But if by some miracle she does… I hope she doesn't come looking for me again. I'd only sour her victory. I'd hate to disappoint her again."

The dog's face was blank. Was it even listening to her? Did it care? Who could say? But its eyes never left her, not even for a second.

There were times when she thought about what could have been, a foolish fantasy of her staying with Tai, raising her child as terribly as she could, before he would laugh and step in to show her how it was done. An idea of family.

But it would always unravel like yarn. It wasn't something her mind could comprehend for long, and would quickly reject the idea like it was a virus infecting her system. Sentimental nonsense like that was an easy way to get you killed, and she had no time for such weakness.

_Then what are you doing here?_

She ignored the unspoken question and rose off the bed. The dog tensed, but when it saw she wasn't making any dangerous movements, relaxed again.

Raven brisked past it towards the door. She had no business in Yang's room. She wasn't a stranger to the rest of the house, but here, she was an outsider - an intruder trespassing into places she didn't belong. The feeling of displacement was enough to repel her.

This was not her life. Yang was not her life.

She gently closed the door behind her as she left and walked carefully down the stairs.

The house felt cold. She knew it had nothing to do with it being the dead of night- if anything, it was warmer outside than what it was inside. There was an unnatural element in the air, something that had never been there when she was last here. Now she felt it everywhere in every room.

The lifeless chill of loneliness.

There was something missing in this house, and it felt like the entire building was in a state of mourning. Raven couldn't shake the feeling away. It was getting under her skin, clawing at her.

She made sure to keep her back turned to the dog. She didn't want to look weak, not even in front of a simple animal.

Upon the mantelpiece in the living room were several pictures. Out of all the furniture and ornaments in the room, these pictures clearly got all the love and attention. There wasn't a spec of dust on them. They were kept in pristine conditions.

Lined up were memories of Tai and his family. There was one of him giving little Yang a piggyback, and another of him and Qrow trying in vain to get a barbecue working. The shadows hid the faintest of smirks that graced Raven's lips.

It vanished upon seeing more of the photos. Specifically, when they started showing images of _her_.

The dog growled slightly, sensing her sudden agitation.

"Calm yourself," she whispered. "I'm not going to do anything."

She carefully took the picture off the mantelpiece. It showed Tai, Yang, the other child who's name escaped her... and her former leader all huddled together for a family photo. They all looked so disgustingly happy and wonderful together. The very definition of a perfect family.

She sat down on the sofa. The dog didn't scramble up to join her like an overeager beast, instead choosing to wait patiently by her foot.

Raven's finger traced over the image of the woman. "Her name was Summer," she murmured.

The name earned another whine from the dog. Definitely not a recent addition.

"She was my former leader. Or rather, _our _former leader. Tai and I were on the same team at Beacon- Qrow too. Her parents couldn't have picked a more fitting name for her. I've never known anyone to be as irritatingly cheerful and upbeat as her. When I found out she was to be my leader, that I was going to have to live with her for the next four years, I seriously considered killing myself that day."

That wasn't an exaggeration. Qrow had to drag her away from Beacon's cliffs with chains.

"But she surprised me, and for once, in a good way. She knew how to make people respect her, even before they saw what an efficient fighter she was. Yet still, she had that friendly demeanour that - even though I saw it as naïve at times - always worked out well for her. I can see why Tai fell for-"

She stopped herself at the last minute. That was a can of worms she did not feel like opening. The dog cocked its head, seemingly confused by her pause.

"I watched them a few times over the years," she admitted. "The two of them did a good job raising a family, not that I can speak from experience. She was a kind and loving mother, and he was the father I always knew he would be. They had themselves a happy little life. It was… pleasant to observe."

She looked back at the picture. She had no right to be jealous. You could call her every vile name under the sun and she'd accept them all. But you could not call her a hypocrite. Absolutely not.

She didn't blame Tai for moving on, nor Summer for falling in love with him. It was their choice, just as it was hers to leave. She understood that.

But still, looking at this photo made something twist inside her. She was only human, after all.

"Summer did have one major flaw though," she muttered. "She always had delusions of heroism. Funny thing about heroics: there comes a point when it's no longer about doing the right thing, but rather feeding your own ego. You get so wrapped up in the _idea _of being a hero, that you treat the world like it's one big playground, and people's lives are just set pieces used to entertain your hobby. It's selfish. And that's exactly what she was- selfish."

The dog bared its teeth slightly. It didn't like the sound of that.

"Grumble all you want, but what I say is true," Raven growled. "Summer thought she could swoop in and save the day one moment, then go back to raising a family the next. Madness. Say what you will about me, but at least I know what I am. She wanted the best of both worlds, when in reality, it was one or the other. Mother or huntress. But she was selfish, greedy, stupid, and all it ended up with her getting killed!"

Her voice snapped saying the last part. She toned down her volume, forcing herself to think rationally. If she started shouting, she'd wake up Tai.

She breathed out her frustrations. "She was supposed to be with him," she said softly. "She was supposed to take care of him, heal him. She… she was supposed to be better than me."

But clearly she was. That's why there were so many pictures of her in the house. She was Tai's world, even if she was unaware of it. If she was, she wouldn't have accepted such a dangerous mission so brazenly.

She did love him, though. Him and the rest of her family. She didn't need a picture to tell her that. Not only had she given him love and comfort, she had given him another child. A girl that was pretty much identical to her.

Summer Rose hadn't truly died. She had just gotten smaller and squeakier.

"But it doesn't matter now," Raven sniffed dismissively. "She's gone now. Everyone's gone. His children, my brother, they're all gone. Everyone's disappeared on him." She looked down at the dog. "Well, except for you, I suppose."

A humming noise came from the dog.

"So, what's your story then, mutt?" she asked it. "You know about me now, so tell me about yourself. Where do you fit in with all this? Amuse me."

The dog stared at her, expressionless. Of course it did. It was just a dumb animal after all. But talking to animals felt saner than talking to shadows, especially if you knew what lurked within them.

But after a few moments, Raven was shocked when she saw the dog trot over to a nearby drawer, open it up using its mouth, and pull out a book, carrying it gently within its jaws. It sat down in front of her, presenting the book to her.

"You're smarter than you look," Raven grunted, taking the book from its mouth.

This time, the dog did hope up onto the sofa. Its eyes were glued to the book.

She started flipping through the pages. It was a photo album. There were too many photos inside to fit on the mantelpiece. Did that mean these were the ones that weren't important enough to display?

Almost certainly not. Flicking through it, it was like she was looking at a visual timeline. She watched Yang and Summer's child grow older with each passing page, starting from when they were young children, to even going as far as posing for their first day at Beacon. Happy family memories.

But there was a recurring factor in each of these photos. The reason why the dog had fetched the book in the first place.

The dog was in these photos. All of them. He aged with the family, starting from a young pup, growing into a fully grown mutt. There were pictures of him with the children, Tai, even Summer. He was with them every step of the way.

"Interesting," Raven mused. "You've been with this family even longer than I have. Congratulations."

The dog didn't react to her words. It was too busy staring at a picture of when it was a puppy, snuggled around the family on the same couch they were currently sitting on.

"I admit, you looked cute there," Raven said. "You haven't gotten any bigger, though."

A soft snort came from the dog.

"You have a lot of memories here," Raven said. "Do you have a favourite one?"

It didn't surprise her when the dog started pushing the pages with its snout. The animal was unusually intelligent.

It eventually found the photo it was looking for. The photo showed the dog as a puppy again, being held in Tai's arms with Ruby and Yang standing next to him. Summer must've been the one taking the picture.

They were standing outside an animal shelter. The words 'Newest Family Member' was written beneath the photo.

One of the dog's little paws came up to touch the photo. Raven could see water behind its black eyes.

"How precious," Raven smirked. "It was his idea to adopt you, wasn't it?"

That little whine it gave was all the confirmation she needed.

"Yes, that does sound like him," she sighed. "Taking pity on others. Showing them a bit of love, giving them a place they can call home… he's a bit too much of a bleeding heart, wouldn't you agree?"

Of course it didn't. Their first meeting told Raven everything she needed to know about the dog. Unwavering loyalty. It wouldn't disrespect him, even if it were capable of speech. It wouldn't dream of doing anything that would leave him hurt on the inside.

Such dependency was an admirable weakness, but a weakness nonetheless.

And Raven would cut her own tongue out before admitting she envied it.

She closed the book and put it back in the drawer. It was time to leave. Memories and keepsakes were a dangerous distraction. The past should stay in the past. Otherwise, you'd lose yourself in it, which is exactly what Tai was doing.

Raven would not be like that. This would be the last time she looked back. Then she would go back to what she always did- moving forward.

Always, she was moving forward. As far as her legs could carry her.

But she did spot one last picture, sitting at the far end of the mantlepiece. An old photo, one that even she was in.

It was another family picture. A different type of family, though. One before Yang and Summer's child's time.

Raven picked up the picture of Team STRQ.

She couldn't help but smile looking at it. She had owned it once herself… before she had to cast it away. But looking at it again brought back a pleasant form of nostalgia.

She forgot who took the photo, or why they all decided to stand in front of a tree. But there they all were, the best team in Beacon. They had many other photos of them all; there was their graduation, and their first successful mission. But for some reason, this one always stood out. It felt special in a way she couldn't put her finger on.

The dog sniffed curiously. She held the photo lower so that it could see better.

"Recognise me now, don't you?" she said, pointing to herself. "You see, mutt? I'm not some random intruder. I've always been here, even before you."

She brought it back to her eye-level. She hadn't seen this picture for years. She could be forgiven for hogging it to herself for a while.

Four years at Beacon. The time had flown by. She hadn't expected to have such a good time, especially with the endless studying and the teamwork enforced by the school. And yet she did. She became more than an efficient fighter, she became a sister. A friend. A partner.

A wife.

"Do you what to know what bothers me the most?" she whispered. "I doubt myself a lot these days. I used to be so sure that the path I chose was the path I truly desired. But now I'm not so sure. And at times… at times I wonder why I even left in the first place."

She looked back down at the dog. "Do you find that strange? Do you think me foolish for thinking that way?"

She really had to stop expecting an answer from an animal.

"Well, what do you know?" Raven sniffed. "What does a dog know about freedom and making your own choices? Simple beast. Your kind would sink like a stone if given the chance to think for yourself."

The dog cocked its head, confused. Obviously. As if it could ever wrap its head around freedom of choice. It was bred to serve, to remain within its pack. And it was happy to do so.

The sudden revelation made Raven feel like… complete shit, as Qrow would put it.

She was about to put the picture back on the mantelpiece, when she saw something sticking out of the corner from behind it. It was probably nothing, but Raven was curious.

She opened up the frame to see what was inside.

Her heart froze in her chest.

She hadn't been prepared for this.

Behind the team photo… was a picture of her and Tai's wedding day.

There they all were. Qrow was Tai's best man, and Summer was the only bridesmaid. Tai looked like he was about to burst out crying. The smile on his face was as wide as she remembered it. He looked dazzling in that suit. How he was able to afford it, she would never know.

And then there was her. That had been the first and only time she had worn white. Her wild hair was tied up in a bun. It had taken several stylists to tame her mane, causing them all to loathe her in the process. But it worked. She looked like someone who belonged at such a scene. Her expression was vulnerable, and yet so perfect. That weak smile on her face reminded her of everything she felt that day.

There were many memories she had forced herself to forget in order to continue with her life. But not this one. She could not afford to forget this one.

And apparently, neither could he...

Something wet landed softly against the photo.

She wiped her eyes and saw the dog staring up at her.

She smiled tightly at it, then looked back at the photo. "I don't like dogs," she muttered. "They're overly cheerful, too eager to please, and too loyal for their own good. Even to those who don't deserve it."

Her eyes drifted upwards.

She carefully put the picture behind the team photo, a memory tucked away beneath a safer one. She felt something nudge her foot. The dog was standing the closest it had been with her so far.

Tai had lived an honest life, formed strong bonds with many people. How was it that an animal proved to be more loyal than any of those people combined?

She crouched down to its level. "Listen closely, dog. I'm not your master, but you will do as I tell you. I cannot be the one to stay by his side, so that duty falls to you now. Be his friend, his companion, whatever you're capable of. Just make sure he never feels alone. He deserves better than that. Show him some love, and he will give you the world. There aren't many people like him, so do him a favour and show him a little respect. Do you understand?"

She was entrusting Tai's happiness to a dog. She was either pathetic or crazy.

The dog stared at her with those hard eyes, then gently licked her hand. In that moment, she felt like a pact was made.

"That's what we call a promise," she said. "I already broke mine to him, so don't you dare do the same. I'm not as forgiving as him. If I find you've abandoned him too… I'll cook you up and eat you."

A grunt came from it that sounded sassy in her ears. She had been talking to this thing for too long. She was interpreting its noises as human emotions.

"But I don't think I'll have to do that, will I?" she said. "As I said, too loyal for your own good. You're… you're already doing a good job. Try to keep it up for a little longer."

The dog paused, then slowly moved its head under her hand. Her fingers brushed against its ears, and it relaxed into her touch.

Raven's smile was warm. "I'm counting on you now," she said, giving his head a little scratch before pulling her hand back. It was finally time to leave.

She walked through the front door and stepped out into the night air. She wasn't sure where she was planning on going next. Perhaps back to the tribe, or wherever her wings could carry her. Either way, as long as it was far from here.

She cast one last look behind her, to the house she had once called home. The dog was sitting there in the doorway, watching her. Its own way of saying goodbye, she thought.

She smiled at it. The dog would do its duty to him well. It would pick up the pieces that the rest of his family left behind. That meant there was no place for her left in his life.

That thought left her feeling both happy and sad. Sad that she was finally and truly removing herself from him, but happy knowing that there was at least somebody watching out for him this time. Someone that deserved his compassion. Her calling was elsewhere.

"Goodbye," she whispered.

She assumed her bird form and flew off into the night.

[/]

Taiyang stretched his arms and yawned. The morning sunlight spilling in through the window forced him to shield his eyes.

He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and scratched his head. What was the day plan for today? Uhh, get some shopping done and… ah, what the hell. He'd figure it out as he went along.

He felt something shift next to him. Looking down, he saw Zwei cuddling up next to him. The little rascal must have snuck into his room last night.

Taiyang grinned and rubbed his head. "Morning, sleepyhead," he said. "What are you doing in here?"

Zwei woke up almost immediately. The second he saw him, he barked happily and started to climb all over him.

"Whoa, someone's energetic today," Taiyang laughed. "You must've had a good dream or something. I didn't know you could get any zippier."

Seriously, he was acting way more energetic than usual. The last time Zwei had this much energy was when he was just a puppy. What was the occasion?

Ah, who cared? It didn't matter. He was always happy to see his little fluffball.

He looked at the window. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day today. "Whaddya say, buddy? Wanna go for a walk?" he asked.

Zwei barked again and licked his face.

"Haha, good boy."

* * *

**It occurred to me that I hadn't written anything with Zwei. That had to change. **


End file.
